Every teacher in every subject area is challenged to provide instruction so that students have the literacy skills to comprehend the content. National conversations about school improvement and reform are converging on increasing high school graduation rates for learners in all subgroups. Attention to secondary education at the federal and state levels highlights our important focus on the fundamental need to increase reading and writing comprehension in all content areas.

This issue of Educator's Voice addresses two interrelated topics: the unique needs of adolescent readers and writers and proven strategies that increase comprehension of academic subject matter. Articles in this issue are for teachers of content subjects from grades 7 to 12, not just for English language arts teachers. Using these teacher-tested, research-based strategies, teachers across New York will guide more students to greater content comprehension. The result will be more students graduating from high school and going on to succeed in higher education and employment with 21st-century literacy skills.